Davenport University Athletics

Jackie Barley enters her third season as the assistant coach for the Davenport University softball program.  

During her first season leading the Panthers, the Davenport squad claimed the highest in-conference batting average in the D2 era, hitting .316 during the campaign.  The Panthers also increased offensively in batting average, hits, doubles, RBIs, total bases, and on base percentage.  In the circle, the 2022 pitching staff also excelled, showing improvements in ERA, fewer runs allowed, fewer earned runs, fewer wild pitches, increased strikeouts, fewer homeruns allowed, fewer walks allowed, decreased hit batters by 50%, and increased wins.  Rachel Griffin was Davenport’s first ever 2022 GLIAC Player of the Year, also earning the GLIAC Commissioner’s Award and earning second team All-Region recognition.  The Panthers excelled academically as well, earning the third highest team GPA in all of Division II softball (3.789).  Eighteen Panthers were named Easton/NFCA All-American Scholar Athletes.

Prior to Davenport, Barley spent two seasons as the Associate Head Coach at Malone University (DII - GMAC). At Malone, Barley helped boost the program’s winning percentage, Team Batting Average, Homeruns, and Slugging %. Barley helped develop the 2021 GMAC Female Athlete of the year, Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Midwest Regional Player of the Year, as well as one first-team and two second-team All-Region players. Numerous Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week honors were also accumulated throughout her time at Malone.  Barley also helped mentor Malone’s first ever NFCA/ D2CCA First Team All-American as well as one of the top fifteen Schutt Sports Division 2 National Player of the Year nominees who was also ranked one of the top nine hitters in the country.  Malone was the only team in the conference to earn two NFCA National Player of the Week honors in 2021. Additionally, Malone had a player receive the GMAC Elite 23 award for academic excellence as well as another player earning Academic All-American honors. As a team, Malone was ranked nationally in multiple hitting categories throughout the year, such as batting average, doubles per game, homeruns per game, scoring and slugging percentage, and on base percentage.  Kelsey Byers won 22 games in the circle for Malone, striking out 223 during the 2021 campaign.  She was nationally ranked for strikeouts, victories, walks allowed per seven innings, and complete games.  During Barley’s time at Malone, the program broke records for winning percentage, team batting average, homeruns, slugging percentage, and the first ever perfect game thrown by a Pioneer.

Prior to Malone, Barley was an Associate Head Coach at Division II Walsh University for two seasons.  She made an immediate impact, increasing the team’s batting average, runs, on base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, doubles, RBI’s, and extra base hits.  At Walsh she mentored the GMAC Freshman of the Year and second team All-Region selection, Jessie Rock, as well as numerous All-Conference players.  Olivia Pifer also threw a perfect game during her first year at Walsh.

Prior to Walsh, she spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Lawrence Tech University (NAIA).  At LTU, she assisted in starting the Blue Devil program from scratch and guided Lawrence Tech to a 22-26 record in its inaugural season with 14 losses coming by two runs or less. That also included wins against No. 8. Davenport, No. 23 Park, and No. 25 Georgetown, an impressive feat with 16 true freshmen on the roster. She helped develop All-Conference players during the first ever season of the program and made history as the first inaugural team to make post season in LTU history.  Barley’s 2017 Blue Devils still hold program highs in multiple offensive categories.

At Adrian College (NCAA Division III), she helped reshape the Bulldogs' offense, which led to increases in batting average, runs, hits, slugging percentage, RBI’s, homeruns, and doubles. Brooke Stewart also threw a perfect game.  Barley’s Bulldogs once again earned All-Conference recognition.

Coaching in the high school ranks, at Addison High School, Barley developed a high school All-American, All-State selection, and eventual Central Michigan standout, Erika Underwood.  Barley also coached at Onsted High School for two seasons, during which they won their first conference championship in 20 years.

Barley was a standout shortstop at Tecumseh High School (MI) where she helped lead the Indians to a 142-25 record, including back-to-back state championships in 2007 and 2008. Barley’s teams also compiled 4 Conference championships, 4 District Championships and 2 Regional championships. Barley was a three-time Lenawee County Player of the Year, earning first team conference, district, and regional honors each of her four high school seasons. She was named first-team All-State her junior and senior seasons. Barley was also a standout basketball player making varsity her freshman year. She signed to play softball at the University of Michigan, but after an injury transferred to Central Michigan University. Plagued by injury again, Barley finished out her last two years at Madonna University where she won a Conference Championship, a Conference Tournament Championship, and earned a National Tournament appearance. Barley was a first team All-Conference selection both of her seasons at Madonna, an NAIA All-American, 2012 WHAC Player of the Year, and was among the leaders for all the major statistical offensive categories. 

Barley graduated from Madonna University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Malone University with a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership.